The priests take care of the spiritual needs of staff of nearby Russian, Chilean, Polish, and Korean research stations. Their obligations include prayers for souls of 64 Russians who lost their lives in various expeditions, and the very occasional, very chilly, baptism. Recently the church performed its first wedding–the first wedding ever celebrated in a church in Antarctica. It was between a Chilean and Russian researcher, and was a proud moment for the southernmost Orthodox church in the world.
Orthodox Liturgy From the North Pole to the South
The Divine Liturgy celebrated at the North Pole was a victory for our Faith, it was a new Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, and it was an illuminating example of the universality of our Orthodox faith.